Looking from every angle, 2016 has been quite the year for RTB! Many of you raced at the CDA 70.3 - the most highly attended race by RTB athletes to date at around 35. Other favorite races have been densely populated with RTBers - Chelanman, Ironman events, Lake Meridian(!). The pictures and the stories keep coming and they are inspiring, vulnerable, exciting, heart-warming, surprising, etc. Triathlon once again provides the backdrop for fun, shared experiences, and growth. Win WIN WINNNN!

On Sunday I'm doing Seafair - which was the first triathlon I ever did in 1986 and frankly I've been very sentimental lately because of it. You can see my maiden name on the results- Patty Pawlowski. I was 606th of 666 athletes. Yikes. I had a long way to go and trained for a long time to improve on that. There were many fun years where I worked hard with my friends and got better and faster. (I couldn't have gotten much slower!!) I discovered that along with the wife and mother in me, there was also an athlete - never would have guessed!

Shortly after this photo was taken I was advised to throw that bike in a dumpster. And the saddlebag

Like many of you, I've found that over the years, racing gets more of my attention some years than others, but my love of the sport continues. Lately I haven't trained with nearly the discipline and regimen I did in the past - but I still love the training and the sport like crazy! I find myself doing more of what I enjoy the most (swimming!) and fitting bikes and runs/walks into the cracks and crevices that open up between my time running Raise the Bar, feeding my addiction to my superfun family, gardening, etc. Many of my runs now are with strollers, or pushing kids bikes along... It's AWESOME. I'm looking forward to racing in San Francisco next month and, like all of you, looking for the next fun race or adventure to spice things up.

Halfway into my triathlon years Brad Williams dared me to start a team. Like a coiled spring, triathlon was poised to grow rapidly and made its biggest debut in the 2000 Olympics which prompted the everyman to sign for events like crazy. Inaugural Ironman events were cropping up everywhere and Raise the Bar grew happily alongside. RTB's been a fantastic community and what a lucky girl I am to have been in the company of so many terrific people over the years on the team and at our training & events. These days I have a front-row seat to many people crossing many finish lines and I love it.

Incidentally, You might notice here how Brad did at the same Seafair race in 1986 - 27th overall at 28 years old and easily the most consistent triathlete I've ever known. Good going, Brad!

Seafair 1987 - closest photo I could find to 1986

Sunday is Ironman Canada - where many of you are headed with your beautifully fit & tapered bodies and hearts full of anticipation. Have the time of your lives! Triathlon is one of many tools we have to experience life at the fullest - take every advantage of your trip and enjoy the day as it unfolds. Have FUN! Not everyone is as fortunate as we are.

I was remiss in the first publishing of this blog to make a mention of Kathy Morrisson - thoughtless really. (Did I mention how self-absorbed I am? Is that typical of triathletes?) Kathy came to RTB and the sport of triathlon a few years after I did, but has become a 100% integral person in the running and managing of many aspects of Raise the Bar. I'm grateful for her and for the great gifts she brings to our organization. I'm mainly thankful for her friendship. THANKS KATHY!!!

Great story Patty, thanks for sharing! I know this sport and RTB have definitely changed my life, and I could not be happier. It is always great to see you, Kathy, and RTB'ers on the side lines and/or race course, cheering us on. I am forever grateful for having found and become a member of RTB!